約伯記 8

1 叔亞人彼耳達得發言說：

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:

2 這些話你要講到幾時﹖你口中的話像狂風要到何時﹖

How long wilt thou speak such things? How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

3 天主豈能違背公道﹖全能者豈能屈枉正義﹖

Will God pervert judgment? Or will the Almighty pervert justice?

4 若你的子女得罪了他，他必將他們交於罪過的權勢下。

As thy children sinned against him, He hath given them up to their transgression.

5 你若急切尋覓天主，哀求全能者；

But if thou wilt seek early to God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —

6 你若純潔正直，他必親來守護你，恢復你正義的居所。

If thou wilt be pure and upright, Surely he will yet arise for thee, And prosper thy righteous habitation;

7 你起初雖然微小，今後必要興隆強大。

So that thy beginning shall be small, And thy latter end very great.

8 請你查問上一代，細想祖先的經驗；

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And mark what hath been searched out by their fathers;

9 因為我們由昨日纔有，本來一無所知；我們在世上的日月，好似影子。

(For we are of yesterday and know nothing, Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow; )

10 他們必訓誡你，指教你，向你說出內心的話：

Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee, And utter words from their understanding?

11 蒲草不在池沼內，怎能長大﹖蘆葦沒有水，怎會長起﹖

“Can the paper-reed grow up without mire? Can the bulrush grow without water?

12 在茁壯中，尚未砍下，已先百草而枯萎。

While it is yet in its greenness, and is not cut down, It withereth before any other herb.

13 凡忘記天主的，他的末路也是這樣：惡人的希望必化為泡影。

Such is the fate of all who forget God; So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.

14 他的依靠好似游絲，他的憑藉有如蛛網。

His confidence shall come to nought, And his trust shall prove a spider's web.

15 他倚恃自己的家，但它卻站立不住；他要依附自己的住所，住所卻不能久存。

He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand; He shall lay fast hold on it, but it shall not endure.

16 它在日光下而青蔥，枝蔓爬滿了園囿，

He is in full green before the sun, And his branches shoot forth over his garden;

17 根盤據在石堆上，纏繞在石屋上。

His roots are entwined about the heap, And he seeth the place of stones;

18 若有人從原處把它拔除，那地必否認說：「我未曾見過它。」

When he shall be destroyed from his place, It shall deny him, saying, 'I never saw thee.'

19 看，它要腐爛在路上，必從地上生出另一棵。

Lo! such is the joy of his course! And others shall spring up from his place”

20 天主決不棄捨完善的人，也決不支持惡人的勢力。

Behold, God will not cast away an upright man; Nor will he help the evil-doers.

21 你的口角必再洋溢著喜悅，你的唇邊必再充滿歡笑。

While he filleth thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with gladness,

22 憎恨你的必蒙受羞辱，惡人的帳幕必化為烏有。

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.